Simo Valakari has confirmed that St Johnstone have been granted permission to speak to him about their managerial vacancy but says he is yet to talk to Perth bosses ‘out of respect’ for current club Riga.
The 51-year-old Finnish coach is now the leading contender to succeed Craig Levein at McDiarmid Park after the Saints were unable to agree personal terms with Larne manager Tiernan Lynch. Speaking to Latvian outlet Futbola Virsliga after his side’s 1-0 win against FK Liepaja on Sunday, he said: “I’m Riga FC head coach. They have asked for permission to talk with me.
“The club said ‘yes’. But I have not been talking with them yet due to the respect of my players and the respect of this game”. Valakari – who spent four years as a player at Motherwell between 1996 and 2000, has picked up a wealth of experience in his 14 years in management. He has coached in Finland, Norway and Latvia, lifting two Finnish league titles with SJK Seinajoki and two domestic cups with Kuopion Palloseura.
Follow Record Sport on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for all of the up-to-the minute breaking news, video and audio on the SPFL, the Scotland national team and beyond.
You can also follow our dedicated Rangers and Celtic podcast pages and sign up to our newsletters to make sure you never miss a beat throughout the season. We’ve also entered the world of WhatsApp with our Rangers community and Celtic community up and running. Follow NOW to get your club’s latest breaking news and transfer gossip directly to your phone.
Tune in to Hotline Live every Sunday to Thursday and have your say on the biggest issues in Scottish football.